Petition Letter
June 7, 2019
Dear Associate Dean of Studies,
I am writing to you to appeal my requirement to withdraw from Queen¿¿s University for one year due to my academic standing after my first year. I was saddened and frustrated to receive the letter, but I understand why I received it. I would like to outline some of the factors that lead to my poor GPA during the
2018-19 school year.
From the beginning of the school year I had difficulties with my mental health and making the necessary connections for my success. I was recruited and selected to receive a letter of intent to join the Men¿¿s Varsity Soccer Team. I was invited to Queen¿¿s two weeks earlier to participate in the Queen¿¿s Soccer Training Camp. I was cut from the team a week later and sent back home. This really disappointed me because playing varsity soccer was one of the reasons I chose to go to Queen¿¿s University.
When the semester started, I kept in communication with the coach and was given the chance to work my way back on the team. I persevered at training through the next weeks and finally was accepted on the team. The problem was, I never felt like I was truly on the team. I felt this way because from the beginning, I was outcasted from the other players because I didn¿¿t make the original roster. I would constantly be criticized for my play. I was often ignored and had to do more work than the other rookies. When I was given my kit, everything was not the correct size, so I didn¿¿t look as professional as the other players. I even got my training shirt taken from me by the captain because he couldn¿¿t find his, so I had to wear the shirt I walked to training in. I went to every training session and all the meetings. I received limited playing time which totaled ten minutes. As a result, this distanced me further and further away from my soccer peers.
I was often excluded from the player planned social events and ignored as a player on the team. I would see many of my teammates together on social media, but I would never be invited or told about it. These may seem like minor issues, but soccer is a huge commitment where I would spend up to four hours everyday training and away from my studies. I felt so isolated, rejected and miserable going to practices and games. Playing varsity is something that I have strived for my whole life. This really affected me emotionally and mentally to the point where it affected my academics.
To compound things, the hours I spent on varsity soccer prevented me from making the necessary connections with my peers in my residence and more importantly my program. It made me feel that I was completely alone to try to balance all my studies by myself. I would stay up all night just sitting on my bed, anxious, not knowing what to do. I would look out my window at 4 a.m. and see my light was the only light on, feeling alone like no one felt the way I did. This insomnia, every night, would cause me not to be able to focus and learn during the early lectures and labs. I missed many classes because I was so exhausted. When I did make it to classes and labs I couldn¿¿t concentrate because I was physically and mentally exhausted from the night before. During both the Fall and Winter Term exams, the feeling of anxiousness and lack of sleep built up so much so that it caused me to study ineffectively and as a result, I did poorly on my midterms and finals. This brought my marks down even further. To try to recover my GPA, I dropped my calculus course after receiving my midterm exam mark. I thought by doing this I would be able to bring my marks for my other courses up.
Through the winter I suffered (and am still suffering through) an ankle injury at training. This injury put me over the edge. I felt as though everything in my life was slipping through my fingers. I didn¿¿t have any bonds with my teammates or class/floor peers and now it seemed like I wouldn¿¿t play soccer again. I did receive some treatments from a Queen¿¿s Physiotherapist, and I am currently seeing a doctor. During this time, I still trained at the gym and attended all team events.
I communicated some of the difficulties I was having to my parents and sought help through the Varsity Academic Service Coordinator. In the second semester, I was assigned to a Bounce Back Mentor, who did help me out a bit and I was also directed to the website, Grade Slam Tutoring, but it wasn¿¿t much help. I am not blaming the soccer team or the university. I know I must take responsibility for what occurred.
I have developed an Academic Plan and a schedule for this fall should you allow me the chance to register. I have requested some emails and documents from the advisor, mentor and physiotherapist. I will add these as soon as I receive them. I believe I have another week to provide.(June 20th)
I hope this shows you that I am fully committed and willing to apply myself to my academic program. I have been an excellent student my whole life and I am determined to turn my university education around.
Dear Associate Dean of Studies,
I am writing to you to appeal my requirement to withdraw from Queen¿¿s University for one year due to my academic standing after my first year. I was saddened and frustrated to receive the letter, but I understand why I received it. I would like to outline some of the factors that lead to my poor GPA during the
2018-19 school year.
From the beginning of the school year I had difficulties with my mental health and making the necessary connections for my success. I was recruited and selected to receive a letter of intent to join the Men¿¿s Varsity Soccer Team. I was invited to Queen¿¿s two weeks earlier to participate in the Queen¿¿s Soccer Training Camp. I was cut from the team a week later and sent back home. This really disappointed me because playing varsity soccer was one of the reasons I chose to go to Queen¿¿s University.
When the semester started, I kept in communication with the coach and was given the chance to work my way back on the team. I persevered at training through the next weeks and finally was accepted on the team. The problem was, I never felt like I was truly on the team. I felt this way because from the beginning, I was outcasted from the other players because I didn¿¿t make the original roster. I would constantly be criticized for my play. I was often ignored and had to do more work than the other rookies. When I was given my kit, everything was not the correct size, so I didn¿¿t look as professional as the other players. I even got my training shirt taken from me by the captain because he couldn¿¿t find his, so I had to wear the shirt I walked to training in. I went to every training session and all the meetings. I received limited playing time which totaled ten minutes. As a result, this distanced me further and further away from my soccer peers.
I was often excluded from the player planned social events and ignored as a player on the team. I would see many of my teammates together on social media, but I would never be invited or told about it. These may seem like minor issues, but soccer is a huge commitment where I would spend up to four hours everyday training and away from my studies. I felt so isolated, rejected and miserable going to practices and games. Playing varsity is something that I have strived for my whole life. This really affected me emotionally and mentally to the point where it affected my academics.
To compound things, the hours I spent on varsity soccer prevented me from making the necessary connections with my peers in my residence and more importantly my program. It made me feel that I was completely alone to try to balance all my studies by myself. I would stay up all night just sitting on my bed, anxious, not knowing what to do. I would look out my window at 4 a.m. and see my light was the only light on, feeling alone like no one felt the way I did. This insomnia, every night, would cause me not to be able to focus and learn during the early lectures and labs. I missed many classes because I was so exhausted. When I did make it to classes and labs I couldn¿¿t concentrate because I was physically and mentally exhausted from the night before. During both the Fall and Winter Term exams, the feeling of anxiousness and lack of sleep built up so much so that it caused me to study ineffectively and as a result, I did poorly on my midterms and finals. This brought my marks down even further. To try to recover my GPA, I dropped my calculus course after receiving my midterm exam mark. I thought by doing this I would be able to bring my marks for my other courses up.
Through the winter I suffered (and am still suffering through) an ankle injury at training. This injury put me over the edge. I felt as though everything in my life was slipping through my fingers. I didn¿¿t have any bonds with my teammates or class/floor peers and now it seemed like I wouldn¿¿t play soccer again. I did receive some treatments from a Queen¿¿s Physiotherapist, and I am currently seeing a doctor. During this time, I still trained at the gym and attended all team events.
I communicated some of the difficulties I was having to my parents and sought help through the Varsity Academic Service Coordinator. In the second semester, I was assigned to a Bounce Back Mentor, who did help me out a bit and I was also directed to the website, Grade Slam Tutoring, but it wasn¿¿t much help. I am not blaming the soccer team or the university. I know I must take responsibility for what occurred.
I have developed an Academic Plan and a schedule for this fall should you allow me the chance to register. I have requested some emails and documents from the advisor, mentor and physiotherapist. I will add these as soon as I receive them. I believe I have another week to provide.(June 20th)
I hope this shows you that I am fully committed and willing to apply myself to my academic program. I have been an excellent student my whole life and I am determined to turn my university education around.